Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-06-07
Tho Clergyman,s Ghost.

new to him, but hall q dozen of his
predecessors had occupied the house
which was pretty in itself, and pretti-
~ situated amid shrubbery and trees.
The place was a smart town in north |
ern Michigan. The pastor and his
wife were entertaining for day three
OF Mr.. Starkey's classmates at college,
These gentlemen came up from Ohio
Tor duck shooting on the Lake Huron
shore, and had stopped for visit to |
their old schoolfellow in his new loca-
ton.
After dinner visitors and hosts were
sitting in the cosy parlor while the
shades OF night deepened. The talk
was lively, and all were in the best OF
spirits, when one OF the visitors sud
denly exclaimed:
whats that?"
OF course every body looked at every !
body else and the visitors saw in Mrs. |
Starkeye' face an expression of annoy.
ance almost amounting to distress
1t was John Trennam who made the
exclamation. His comrades, Jack
Duceman and Henry Ketlow, demand
. ing in one breath:
What is it, John?'
Whats the matter, old fellow"
Trennam exclaimed: "Why, that
voice Didn't you hear it, Starkeye?
A muffied sound like the-There it
goes again. Do you hear that?"
Every one had heard it this time
A muffled voice, truly, but the words
were plainly heard:
"Oh-h-h-h-h! Don't!"
A long dwell upon the first word. in
cov,% o. Il l.
stant's pause and the second word
came, short and sharp, but in a loud.
er tone:
"Oh-h-h-h-h! DON'T"
A woman's voice, evidently. So it
seemed to all the listeners.
Mrs. Starkeye was the first to speak.
at has come, Doyce," she said to her
husband, and the manner, not less
than her words, told that the wailing
voice was not news to them but was
dreaded by her. at least.
"Starkeye," cried Duceman, spring.
ing to his feet, with your permission
we'll lay this ghost for you. Isee it
must annoy you. Do give us leave?
All! that's right. Come, boys, let's
| get to the bottom OF it. A parson
can't 20 ghosthunting, but we can"
1t was arranged that Trennam
should keep watch at the west win
dow OF the parlor Ducemen was to
steaIthily station himself at the west
end of the front porch. and Ketlow
went to the second floor room above
| the parlor. A little cool headed
watching, they thought, would dis
cover something in no very long time.
| They were to remain at their posts
for an hour, if nothing was found out
meanwhile, and then reassemble in
the parlors to consider further steps.
The night was not dark, bat it was
difficult to see much around the leaf
age surrounding the parsonage. A
soughins, westerly wind came fitfully
through the trees, The friends took
their stations and hall an hour went
by. while at intervals the wailing
voice was somewhere about the west
end OF the house. But where2 Now
it sounded to Duceman on the porch
as if itwere just above his head. but
the next time it was heard il seemed
to come from the top OF a silver leaf
poplar that stood close to the west
end of the house. Duceman peered
around toward the poplar, and in
his eagerness stepped off the porch
among the shrubbery.
"Oh-h-h! DON'T"
Almost directly above his head,
Duceman thought He was sure it
was in the poplar tree. He crept slow
ly until he stood under the poplar,
and then looking intently through tho
branches dark form outlined against
the sky-a form upon the peak OF the
roof and not in the tree. Duceman
was both elated and indignant at his
discovery.
81 hate practical Jokes, and jokers-
especially such stupid ones as this"
and he muttered as he stole quickly
and quietly back to the porch into
the house. "Pll give that fellow a
lesson he won't forget" said Duceman
to hims ELF as he secured his ducking
gun and then paid n hasty visit to
Mrs. Starkeye's kitchen.
In minute more Duceman, gun in
hand, was stealing softly around the
west end OF the house again. There
sat the fellow on the roof, dimly seen
against the sky. Duceman raised his
gun and fired. With loud shrek the
figure on the roof plunged forward in.
| w tllC popiui UISc. Dub Ihe UIiliICllts
were small and brittle and the figure
dashed thr ough the m and aliehted in
the centre of a great arbor vite. Out
OF this again it rolled spluttering,
grooming and twisting in many contor
tions. Duceman dropped his gun and
sprang forward as the inmates of the
house came huIriedly out.
"Great heaven, Ketlowi is it you?"
exclaimed Duceman, as he reached the
writing figure on the ground
| 100000! Ow-ow! yes! You've kill
ed mel What did you shoot for? Oh
h-hl my hip my hip!" answered the
writing Ketlow.
But Duceman was getting his breath
again.
"Oh, it's only little charge OF salt
that you've got" he said. There
was no shot in it. It's only salt.
But what were you doing on the ROOF?
Was it you making that nolse?"
This did not stop ketlow's smart
ing, but the assurance that he had
been hurt only with salt relieved the
Others OF pprehensions. BY degrees
ketlow explained. He had goue to
the second room as appointed. There
the wailing voice was so distinctly
heard that he expected TO put his
hand upon the offender by reaching
out OF the window. But when
he carefully raised the sash the
walls seemed to come from the